School board names new administrators

Pleasant Valley Elementary School has a new principal and Carthage High School has a new assistant principal as the district reshuffles administrators for the 2014-2015 school year.

John Hacker

Pleasant Valley Elementary School has a new principal and Carthage High School has a new assistant principal as the district reshuffles administrators for the 2014-2015 school year.In a special meeting held on Thursday, the Board hired Gary Danielson as the Pleasant Valley Elementary School Principal starting on July 1, 2014.Danielson had been principal of York Elementary School in the Springfield School District until the 2012-2013 school year when he stepped down to continue teaching in Springfield this past year.Danielson takes over for Scott Ragsdale who was named principal at the Carthage Middle School.Daniel received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Neb., in 1984; a master’s degree in athletic administration from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, in 1987; and a specialist degree in educational administration from Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, in 2012. Danielson has three years of teaching experience and was an elementary principal for eleven years. He served two of those eleven years in Niangua and nine years in the Springfield Public Schools.Carthage School Superintendent Blaine Henningsen said Danielson will also take over as the district's administrator of the Bright Futures-Carthage Program.Henningsen said that position has become a part of the Pleasant Valley principal's job duties.• The Board hired Dustin Perkins, a social studies teacher at Carl Junction High School, to become one of the assistant principals at Carthage High School next year.Perkins takes over for Matt Huntley who was hired as Carthage High School Principal at the Board's last regular meeting in April. The principal position became open when Kandy Frazier was moved to assistant superintendent.Perkins received his bachelor’s degree in social studies from Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, in 2003, and his master’s degree in secondary education administration from William Woods University, Fulton, in 2013. Mr. Perkins taught and coached two years in the Carthage R-9 School District; one year in the Mid-DelSchool District, Midwest City, Okla.; five years at Parsons USD 503, Parsons, Kan.; and the past three years in the Carl Junction School District.The Board also hired new certified staff members for the 2014-15 school year as follows:• Sarah Hethmon – Counselor, Carthage Middle School. Hethmon received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, Missouri, in 2007, and her master’s degree in school counseling from Evangel University, Springfield, in 2011. She has served the past three years as an elementary guidance counselor in the Diamond R-4 School District.• Jennifer Moffatt – Fourth Grade, Mark Twain Elementary School. Moffatt received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Missouri Southern State University in 2004, and was certified as an elementary teacher by the state of Missouri in 2012. Mrs. Moffatt taught for five years at Sarcoxie High School, and is currently teaching mathematics at Webb City Junior High School.• Candi Morris – Third Grade, Steadley Elementary School. Morris received her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from John Brown University, Siloam Springs, Ark., in 2010. She taught two years at Walker Elementary School, Springdale Ark.• Brian Obermann – Science, Carthage Junior High School. Obermann received his bachelor’sdegree in environmental health and biology from Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, in 2008, and was certified to teach general science by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence in April 2014.